Water-feeder for boilers.



w.D. McLAUCHLlN.

WATER FEEDER FOR BOILERS.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJS, 19l3.

1,183,093. Patented May 1916.

WV, W 6445/4 V INVEN TOR.

44 #2? Z. Wad/7001 40 i ATTORNEY.

THE coLUMmA PLANDGRAPH 60., WASHINGTON, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. McLAUCl-ILIN, OF CORUNNA, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-EIGHTH TO CHARLES H. CLARK, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WATER-FEEDER FOR BOILERS.

Application filed August 18, 1913.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it-known that I, WVILLIAM D. Mo- LAUCHLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corunna, countyof Shiawassee, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Water- Feeders for Boilers, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a method and means for supplying steam boilers with water, and its object is a simple and eflicient device for the purpose, governed by change of level of water in the boiler, whereby a fall in said level immediately results in the boiler being supplied with sufiicient water to raise said level to a predetermined height, whereupon the supply is shut off.

A further object is a device for the purpose stated in which a minimum amount of steam is employed in producing the desired result, the arrangement being such that the volume of steam employed produces a flow of water of substantially equal volume. In steam pumps ordinarily utilized for this purpose, the volume of steam required for pumping a certain volume of water is considerably greater than the volume of water pumped, and it is therefore an object of this invention to provide feed water system for a boiler operating with a less expenditure of steam than is ordinarily required for the purpose.

A further object of the invention is a device of the character stated, which after being put in operation, will automatically continue to keep the boiler properly fed with water during any single continuous period of use thereof.

These and further objects and novelties of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawing, which is a diagram indicating the general relative position and the arrangements of the parts, in which the boiler is simply shown in outline without the usual setting showing the fire-box or other means for applying heat to the boiler but will, nevertheless, be readily understood by those familiar with such devices. The boiler is indicated at 1 and may be of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Serial No. 785,223.

any approved form or type, and heat may be applied thereto in any convenient manner for the formation of steam therein. A condenser 2 is supported in any convenient way and'located above the boiler. The condenser is preferably provided with a series of fines 3, 3 passing therethrough and open to atmosphere at each end in order that steam introduced into the condenser in a manner hereinafter shown may contact large air cooled surface and be rapidly condensed. The upper end of the condenser is connected to the upper side of the boiler by a pipe 4 which is provided with a check valve 5 and a globe valve 6, and the inner end of the pipe 4 within the boiler is provided with a valve 7 of any approved form operable by a float 8, the float serving to open the valve 7 when the float falls by reason of a fall in the level of the water in the boiler. The upper end ofthe condenser is also connected with the steam chamber by a pipe 9 having a globe valve 10 and a check valve 11. The lower end of the condenser is connected by a pipe 12 with a source of water supply,

as a well (not shown), and the pipe 12 is provided with a check valve 13 and a globe valve 14. The lower end of the condenser is also connected with the lower water space 'of the boiler by means of a pipe line 15 and 16, the pipe l5being provided with a check valve 17 and the pipe 16 being provided with a checkvalve 18 .and a globe valve 19. The upper end of the condenser is provided with a vent controlled by the manually operable valve 20.

In order that the operation of the device may be understood let it be supposed that the boiler is carrying steam at a pressure of 100 lbs. and it is desired to supply the boiler with additional water. To accomplish this the valve 10 may be opened and also the valve 20 which will allow steam to flow through the pipe line 9 into the condenser and forcing the air in the condenser through the vent valve 20 until the operator may see that all the air has been forced out of the condenser when the valves 20 and 10 may be closed. The steam soon condenses causing a vacuum in the condenser 2, and, if the valve 14 in the pipe line 12 be open, water will flow into the'lower part of the condenser which is of such size as to hold a sufiicient volume of water to supply the boiler with the required amount. WVhen the condenser has received its supply from the well, the valve 10 may be again opened introducing steam under pressure above the water in the condenser, and, the valve 19 being open, the water in the condenser will flow into the boiler by gravity as the pressure of the water in the boiler tending to retard gravity flow is equalized by the steam pressure upon the upper surface of the water in the condenser.

The method of supplying the boiler with water is thus made clear but in order that the boiler may be continuously. supplied with water, after starting the condenser in the manner described, the automatic valve and float 7 and 8 are provided in the pipe line 4 which operates in the following manner. After the condenser has once been filled with water as heretofore described, the valve 6 in the pipe line 4 is opened as is also the valve 19 in the pipe line 16 and, under this condition of parts, if the float 8 falls by reason of a lowering of the level of the water, the valve 7 is opened which allows steam to flow into the condenser, putting a pressure on the water therein which allows it to flow by gravity into the boiler against the pressure therein and the level of the water in the boiler being thus raised closes the automatic valve.

The steam which is allowed to flow into the condenser by reason of the opening of the valve 7 immediately condenses which draws water into the condenser by reason of the vacuum produced and provides a supply for a succeeding operation. This automatic operation continues so long as the boiler is continuously in operation.

Should it be desired to heat the feed water prior to its introduction into the boiler, the pipe line 15 may be connected with a coil 21, the opposite end of which leads into the lower part of the boiler. The coil 21 is inclosed in a case 22 and exhaust steam may be led into the case through the pipe 23, and out of the upper end through the pipe 24, the coil in the case being of such size as to heat the volume of water handled by the condenser at any one period of its operation. The pipe leading to the coil may be provided with a globe valve 25 and the pipe leading therefrom may be provided with a check valve 26 and by arranging the parts as shown, the heating device may be cut out entirely and the water fed directly to the boiler through the lines 16 or the valve 19 may be closed, and the valve 25 open and the boiler fed through the heating device.

A pipe line 27 may be connected to the line 15 controlled by a globe valve 28 by means of which water may be supplied at a distance from the boiler if desired by simply closing the valves 19 and 26, and opening the valve 28 at a time steam pressure is applied to the water in the condenser.

As the boiler, condenser, etc, is usually set up in a boiler room in which the atmosphere is at a higher temperature than outside the building, the condenser may be supplied with the cooler air by providing an opening in the wall 29 of the building and a duct 30 provided, shown in dotted lines in the figure, leading from the opening in the wall to the condenser, and a similar duct 31 provided at the upper end of the condenser also leading to the outside of the building. The heat of the condenser is sufiicient to produce a circulation of air through the ducts and the condenser, whereby the steam is more quickly condensed than if the device was supplied with air from within the boiler room. All the pipe lines are provided with check valves to prevent flow of fluid in a direction reverse to that desired.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is not only simple and efficient but is automatic in its action during any single continuous period of use of the boiler, and that the quantity of Water supplied is substantially equal in volume to the steam required in producing the flow.

Having thus briefly described my invention and its mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. Means for supplying a steam boile with feed water comprising in combination with the boiler, a steam condenser provided with fines situated above the normal level of water in the boiler, means for directing air currents through the said flues to rapidly condense the steam therein, the condenser being connected with a source of water supply, and also connected with the boiler below the water line, a heating coil in the connection between the condenser and the boiler, and means controlled by a change of level of water in the boiler for admitting steam to the condenser.

2. A device of the character described, comprising in combination with a boiler, a closed receptacle situated above the normal level of water in the boiler, a conduit including a heating coil connecting the lower end of the receptacle with the boiler below the water line, a conduit leading to a source of water supply connected with the receptacle, a conduit provided with a manually controlled valve connecting the steam chamber of the boiler with the upper end of the receptacle, and a second conduit provided with a float controlled valve connecting said steam chamber with the receptacle.

3. A device of the character described, comprising in combination with a boiler a steam condenser provided with fiues situated above the normal level of Water in the boiler, said condenser being connected with the boiler below the water line and with a source of water supply, means for supplying a volume of steam to the condenser which by con- In testimony whereof, I sign this specidensing causes Water to flow thereinto, autofication in the presence of tWo Witnesses. matic means for subjecting the said Water to steam pressure to equalize the boiler pres- WILLIAM MOLAUOHLIN' 5 sure thereon, and air conduits leading to and Witnesses:

from the condenser whereby air may circu- RICHARD ALSPAS,

late through the fiues therein. SELENE MCDONALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Istents, Washington, D. 0. 

